In the prior application, an improved apparatus for evaporating fuel was disclosed which quite efficiently evaporates liquid fuel so that it is presented to the carburetor of an internal combustion engine in completely vaporized form so as to increase the efficiency of the combustion of the internal combustion engine. While the invention disclosed in the prior patent application operates quite efficiently, Applicant has conducted further research to devise ways of more efficiently and economically heating the fuel to its vapor point so as to further improve upon the teachings of the invention disclosed in the prior application. During this research, it was discovered that a more efficient approach to the problems of fuel evaporation might include a lesser emphasis upon the use of glow plugs to heat the plate or plates on which the liquid fuel impinges and a greater emphasis upon the use of the heat found in exhaust gases created by the operation of the internal combustion engine. Thus, in order to increase efficiency while reducing the drain on the vehicle battery and generating system, the present invention was created.
Applicant is aware of several prior art documents which are believed to be only generally related to the teachings of the present invention, as follows:
U.S. Pat. No. 541,773 to Mead. PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 1,465,574 to Bannister. PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 1,603,660 to Cassella. PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 1,980,496 to Musselwhite. PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 1,608,018 to Eldred. PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 1,997,497 to Pogue. PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 2,049,687 to Chamberland, et al. PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 2,219,522 to Hinsch. PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 2,306,897 to Ollig. PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 2,650,582 to Green. PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,872,191 to Walcker. PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,886,919 to Freeman. PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,916,859 to Fossum. PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,961,616 to Brown. PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,015,569 to Leshner, et al. PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,106,457 to Totten, et al. PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,112,889 to Harpman. PA1 U S. Pat. No. 4,139,582 to Collins. PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,151,821 to Wichman, et al. PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,212,274 to Quick. PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,2l3,433 to Day. PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,223,652 to Budnicki. PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,349,001 to Wagner. PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,350,134 to Sparks. PA1 Japanese Pat. No. 490,266 to Feroldi.
While some of these patents teach some of the aspects of the present invention, Applicant believes that none of them teach, either singly or in combination, all of the inventive features combined into the present invention.